founder

1
[ foun-der ]
See synonyms for: founderfounderedfounders on Thesaurus.com

noun
  1. a person who founds or establishes something, as a company or institution.

Origin of founder

1
First recorded in 1275–1325; Middle English found(o)ur, foundere, fundre “original builder of a city, church, castle, or city; founder of a country,” from Anglo-French fundur, from Old French fondeor, from Latin fundātōr-, stem of fundātor; see origin at found1;see also -er1

Words Nearby founder

Other definitions for founder (2 of 3)

founder2
[ foun-der ]

verb (used without object)
  1. (of a ship, boat, etc.) to fill with water and sink.

  2. to fall or sink down, as buildings, ground, etc.: Built on a former lake bed, the building has foundered nearly ten feet.

  1. to become wrecked; fail utterly: The project foundered because public support was lacking.

  2. to stumble, break down, or go lame, as a horse: His mount foundered on the rocky path.

  3. to become ill from overeating.

  4. Veterinary Pathology. (of a horse) to suffer from laminitis.

verb (used with object)
  1. to cause to fill with water and sink: Rough seas had foundered the ship in mid-ocean.

  2. Veterinary Pathology. to cause (a horse) to break down, go lame, or suffer from laminitis.

noun
  1. Veterinary Pathology. laminitis.

Origin of founder

2
First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English foundren, funder, fonder, from Old French fondrer “to plunge to the bottom, submerge,” from Vulgar Latin fundorāre (unattested), derivative of fundor-, an s-stem noun interpreted as stem of Latin fundus, actually an o-stem noun (stem fund- ) “bottom”

Other words for founder

Other words from founder

  • un·foun·dered, adjective
  • un·foun·der·ing, adjective

Other definitions for founder (3 of 3)

founder3
[ foun-der ]

noun
  1. a person who founds or casts metal, glass, etc.

Origin of founder

3
First recorded in 1400–50; Middle English foundour, founder, from Old French fondeur, from fondre “to melt, cast”; see origin at found3, -er1

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use founder in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for founder (1 of 3)

founder1

/ (ˈfaʊndə) /


noun
  1. a person who establishes an institution, company, society, etc

Origin of founder

1
C14: see found ²

British Dictionary definitions for founder (2 of 3)

founder2

/ (ˈfaʊndə) /


verb(intr)
  1. (of a ship) to sink

  2. to break down or fail: the project foundered

  1. to sink into or become stuck in soft ground

  2. to fall in or give way; collapse

  3. (of a horse) to stumble or go lame

  4. archaic (of animals, esp livestock) to become ill from overeating

noun
  1. vet science another name for laminitis

Origin of founder

2
C13: from Old French fondrer to submerge, from Latin fundus bottom; see found ²

usage For founder

Founder is sometimes wrongly used where flounder is meant: this unexpected turn of events left him floundering (not foundering)

British Dictionary definitions for founder (3 of 3)

founder3

/ (ˈfaʊndə) /


noun
    • a person who makes metal castings

    • (in combination): an iron founder

Origin of founder

3
C15: see found ³

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012